This invention relates to a novelty soap bar and to a special effect cartridge for use in a novelty item of merchandise.
Novelty soap bars exist in various shapes, colours and fragrances for the pleasure of the owner and end user. One soap bar described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,753 provides a light source which is activated whenever the soap bar is wet.
An object of this invention is to provide a soap bar which provides still more entertainment than an illuminated soap bar.
In accordance with one aspect of this invention, there is provided a soap bar having a special effect cartridge for producing light effects through an image.
The special effect cartridge has a sealed chamber through which light is transmitted and which houses an electronic circuit and a power source. A light source provided in the sealed chamber is optionally mounted to a support spaced from a translucent portion of a housing where an image is mounted. In this way, the image is backlit whenever the light source is actuated.
Actuation may take place by movement or by wetting the soap bar in a conductive medium. The soap bar has at least one movement actuated switch or a wet switch in the form of a pair of electric probes.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the soap bar has a loudspeaker in a discrete housing which defines an open acoustic chamber through which sound is transmitted.